'Tobacco Epidemic' Could Kill 1 Billion in 21st Century

NEW YORK (AP) - Tobacco use killed 100 million people worldwide
in the 20th century and could kill one billion people in the 21st
unless governments act now to dramatically reduce it, the World
Health Organization said in a report Thursday.

Governments around the world collect more than $200 billion in
tobacco taxes every year but spend less than one fifth of 1 percent
of that revenue on tobacco control, it said.

"We hold in our hands the solution to the global tobacco
epidemic that threatens the lives of one billion men, women and
children during this century," WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret
Chan said in an introduction to the report.

The WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2008 calls on all
countries to dramatically increase efforts to prevent young people
from beginning to smoke, help smokers quit, and protect nonsmokers
from exposure to second hand smoke.

It urges governments to adopt six "tobacco control policies" -
raise taxes and prices of tobacco; ban tobacco advertising,
promotion and sponsorship; protect people from second hand smoke;
warn people about the dangers of tobacco; help those who want to
quit smoking; and monitor tobacco use to understand and reverse the
epidemic.

"The tobacco epidemic already kills 5.4 million people a year
from lung cancer, heart disease and other illnesses," Chan said.
"Unchecked, that number will increase to more than 8 million a
year by 2030."

According to the report, nearly two thirds of the world's
smokers live in 10 countries - China, which accounts for nearly 30
percent, India for about 10 percent, Indonesia, Russia, the United
States, Japan, Brazil, Bangladesh, Germany and Turkey.

It forecast that more than 80 percent of tobacco-related deaths
will be in low- and middle-income countries by 2030.

Tobacco use is growing fastest in low-income countries, the
report said, "due to steady population growth coupled with tobacco
industry targeting, ensuring that millions of people become fatally
addicted each year."

While standard cigarettes are most common, WHO said other types
of smoked tobacco are also "lethal," including small hand-rolled
cigarettes called bidis which are smoked in India and other
Southeast Asian nations, clove and tobacco cigarettes called
Kreteks smoked in Indonesia, and tobacco cured with flavorings
known as shisha smoked from water pipes.

It warned that "the shift of the tobacco epidemic to the
developing world will lead to unprecedented levels of disease and
early death in countries where population growth and the potential
for increased tobacco use are highest and where health care
services are least available."

"In the 20th century, the tobacco epidemic killed 100 million
people worldwide," the report said. "Unless urgent action is
taken, more than one billion people could be killed by tobacco
during this century."

WHO called the rise in tobacco use by younger women "one of the
most ominous potential developments of the epidemic's growth."

Only 86 of 193 countries surveyed have recent data on tobacco
use for both adults and youths. Seventy-four countries still allow
smoking in health care institutions and about the same number allow
smoking in schools. And more than half the countries, with
two-thirds of the world's population, allow smoking in government
offices and workplaces, the report said.

Only two countries - Uruguay and New Zealand - had both
comprehensive smoke-free laws and high enforcement, it said.

For the tobacco industry to survive, and keep existing customers
hooked and attract new customers, "it spends tens of billions of
dollars a year on advertising, promotion and sponsorship," WHO
said.

One of the most effective ways to curb tobacco use is to ban all
forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, but it
said only 20 of 179 countries that responded have complete bans.

While many tobacco users want to quit, they are unable to
because of their addiction to nicotine, and "the vast majority of
countries" provide no help, the report said. Only nine countries,
accounting for 5 percent of the world's population, offer a full
range of treatment and at least partial financial subsidies to help
people trying to quit, it said.

"Weak health warnings on tobacco packs - or no warnings at all
- continue to be the global norm," the report added, noting that
only 15 of 176 countries surveyed required picture warnings which
are most effective.